Watch winding machine



May 12, 1953 J. H. GOTTER WATCH wINDING MACHINE Filed Sept. 28

v doH/v H G0775@ INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY Patented May 12, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WATCH WllNDING MACHINE John lill. Getter, Abiiene, Tex.

Application Septemher, 195i, Serial No. 248,746

(Ci. Sil- 7.5)

Y Claims.

This invention relates to watch winding apparatus and more particularly to such apparatus which is automatic in the sense that the mechanism is set into motion to wind a watch through pressure applied by application of the Winding crown of the watch to the winding head of the machine.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a watch winding machine designed to obviate the outstanding fault present in earlier machines for the purpose which is that of exerting torque beyond the force required to wind a watch, irrespective of size and ill equipped to control the applied torque. Early efforts to produce a successiu1 watch winding machine have included, as a power medium, an electric motor, in which the torque controlling medium general- 1y consists of a friction clutch adapted to slip after the watch spring has been wound. It has been determined by watch manufacturers, in actual practice that the friction clutch alone cannot be relied upon to limit the degree of torque supplied by an electric moto-r or, for that matter, the torque applied manually, hence a Watch winding machine is needed in which the power source itself can be controlled and supplemented by a clutch which can be of the friction type.

t is therefore the chief object of the invention to provide a watch winding machine in which winding torque is supplied through the medium of a bladed impeller freely mounted on the winding shaft of the machine and adapted to be propelled by air under pressure released from an air nozzle by mechanism actuated by pressure imposed manually on the winding head oi the machine. A friction clutch, under predetermined spring pressure maintains driving relationship between the impeiler and winding shaft.

Itis another object of the invention to provide a watch winding machine pneumatically actuated to apply suflicient torque 'to wind the springs of Watches of different sizes without danger of overwinding and equipped with a torque control medium in the form of a friction clutch sufilciently sensitive to prevent overwinding of the more delicate watch spring, yet predetermining the torque necessary to wind the springs of watches of larger sizes.

With the foregoing objects in View, the invention has further reference to certain features of accomplishment which will become apparent as the description proceeds, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a watch winding machine constructed according to the l 2 invention and in which. parts are in cross-section, including the case.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detailed sectional view taken on line 3 3 of Figure 1, and

Figure 4 is a detailed view of the yoke through which motion is transmitted from the winding head to actuate the air release valve.

Continuing with a more detailed description of the drawing, reference numeral I0 denotes the base consisting of a hat metal plate on which is mounted a front standard I l and a rear standard l2, each standard being secured to` the base ii) by means of screws i3. Standard il is equal in width to the base it while the standard l2 is narrower in width and is disposed midway between the sides of the base iii.

Adjacent the top of the standard ll is a circular opening i4 on which is frictionally mounted a bushing i5 having a central bore through which extends a winding shaft I5. A ball race is provided in each end of the bushing l5, each race containing ball bearings l1 in which winding shaft i6 rotates. The outer end of the winding sha-it i6 has a. central bore i8 in which is disposed for limite-d longitudinal displacement an arbor it. rihe arbor i9 has a longitudinal slot 2t which receives a transverse pin 2 i extending through the drive shaft i6. This arrangement enables the arbor i9 to move longitudinally but constrains the arbor to rotate with the winding shaft i5.

Formed on the outer end of the arbor I9 is an annularly grooved enlargement 2i. A chuck or winding head 22 is attached to the enlargement 2l by means of a threaded shank 23 formed on the winding head which enters a threaded bore in the center of the enlargement 2 i. The winding head 22 is hollow in order to receive a rubher plug 2li. The plug 2d has a coniform recess 25 in order to accommodate watches having crowns of different diameters. rEhe plug 24 may be secured in the winding head 22 `as by cementing or other suitable means.

In order to prohibit longitudinal displaoeun-:ntY

`tached to the collar or clutch element 28 by means of screws 29 is an impeller consisting of a disc 30, formed on its outer periphery with a. plurality of blades Si perpendicular to the plane of the disc B and preferably turned at an angle to the rotating axis of the disc 3U. Forming a part of the impeller and clutch is a collar 32, secured in the assembly by the screws 2B and bearing against the collar 32, through the medium of a plate 33, is a coil spring 34 surrounding the winding shaft IE. The opposite end f the coil spring Sil bears against a plate 3i? which engages a ball bearing 36 arranged in a ball race 31, the latter being formed on the end of a sleeve 38 which is longitudinally movable in a retaining sleeve and held against rotation therein by means of a pin e@ extending transversely through through the sleeves 38 and 39 and a slot 4l in the sleeve 38. The sleeve 3S is interiorly threaded to receive the left-hand threads on the shank 42 of adjusting screw t3. The adjusting screw 43 carries a knurled .knob dll and is annularly grooved at 45 to receive a ball 46 which is held in the groove by a spring il and a Set screw 48 in the top of the rear standard l2, to hold. the adjusting screw against other than rotative movement. By turning the knob dit in a clockwise direction, the sleeve 33 will be moved in a forwardly direction to increase the tension on the coil spring 34, thus to increase the pressure imposed on the clutch element 28. opposite rotation of the knob M will diminish the friction between the collar 26 and clutch ele ment 28.

rl`orque is applied to the impeller im and thus to the winding shaft it, by means of air under pressure supplied from a compressor, not shown, to the nipple fle (Figure $3) Air enters the chamber Ell where it remains under constant pressure until the valve El is opened in the manner to be presently explained. The valve 5i seats on a rubber disc 52, which bears against a retainer' 53 within the valve housing 5d. The valve 5l S mounted on a valve stem 55 which extends forwardly through a collar Et, 'threaded into the upper end of the valve housing fl. A coil spring 51 surrounds the valve stem Sie within the collar 5G, its lower end engaging a disc 53, hold in place in the housing 5d by the lower end of the collar 56; The upper end of the spring El bears against an annular flange 59 formed on the valve stem 55 and which limits upward movement of the valve stem by engagement with an internal flange 6i! formed on the upper end of the collar 56. When the valve stem is depressed, air from chamber 5e will pass through the opening in the valve seat and retainer and provided for the stem 55 and will enter a passage iii' formed in a lateral branch 52 of the valve housing and from this passage, the air will emerge from the nozzle 63 and will impinge the blades 3i of the impeller 3G, thus to impart motion to the clutch element 28 and to the winding shaft i6 through the collar 26,. with which the clutch element 28 is frictionally engaged. A needle valve @4 threaded into the end of the branch 62 of the valve housing provides an adjustment to predetermine the quantity of air released .from the nozzle 63.

To actuate the valve Ei, a yoke 65 (Figures 1 and 4) is disposed in the annular groove in the enlargement 2l formed on the arbor i9. This yoke has an arm Se which extends downwardly and is secured by a screw il? to the outer end of a push rod E8. The push rod 5t extends through an opening in the front standard l I immediately below thel winding shalt bushing lli. The inner Conversely,

nozzle 63.

end of the push rod 68 carries a ball 69, freely rotatable in a socket in the end of the push rod and this ball bears against the upper end of a rocker arm 10. The arm 10 is pivoted at 1| to a bifurcated mounting 12, attached by means of a screw 13 to the inner surface of the front standard I I. The arm 1B has formed thereon a finger 14 having a lobular end 15 which bears against the upper end of the valve stem 55S.

It is clearly evident from the foregoing that pressure exerted inwardly on the winding head 22 will cause the yoke 65 to move inwardly, resulting in similar movement of the push rod 68. The rocking arm 1l) will be actuated to cause the nger 14 to bear downwardly on the valve stem 55, opening valve 5l, releasing air through the nozzle 53 against the. impeller blades 3l, to 1'0- tate the Winding shaft I'G, which, in turn, rotates the winding head 22 to rotate the crown of a watch disposed in the conical recess of the plus 24. To minimize friction, the yoke S5 is provided Wtha series of balls 'Iii which are set in openings extending entirely through the yoke so that the balls will engage both walls of the annular groove in the enlargement 2l of the arbor I9.

To support a watch in position for winding, platform '11y is mounted on a plate 18 by means of screws 19. A supporting means for the plate 18 consists of a plug 851 which is secured by means of screws 3 l to the front standard l l immediately under the push rod 68. The plug 8l) is tapped and threaded to receive a screw 8|, whose lower end is provided with ay knurled knob 82. The upper end of the screw 8l has a longitudinally threaded bore adapted to receive a screw 33 or equivalent means which is affixed against movement in the screw 8l The screw `8| extends through an opening 8l in the plate 13 and the head of the screw 33 is disposed above the plate 18 and, being larger than the opening 84, will move the plate downwardly when the screw 8l is rotated in a counterclockwise direction, The annular shoulder 82 adjacent the upper endof the screw 8l bears against the underside of the plate 18 and exerts upward force on the plate to raise thev same when the screw 8l. is rotated in a clockwise direction. It is apparent that the arrangement shown may be employed or the screw 83 may be substituted by simply peening the upper end of the adjusting screw 8l. In this manner, the watch supporting platform 11 is raised and lowered in relation to the winding headr 22 to accommodate watches of different thicknesses and sizes. The guide rod 85 depends from the plate 18 on each side of the adjusting screw 8|. to support the platform 11 in a horizontal position. The platform 11 is provided on each sideV of its center with a recess 86 toy accommodate the lingers while the watch to be wound is held in position to engage its winding stem crown with the winding head 22.

It is apparent that watches with or without wrist bands can. be supported with equal facility on the platform 1l since there is nothing under the platform which would interfere with a wrist band.

There is some noise attending the operation of the machine, due to the release of air from the To reduce this noise, shell 81 is designed to embrace the rear portion of the machine, its forward edge being secured by means of screws .88 to the top and sides of the front standard il. A vertical slot 89 is provided in the rear of the case 81 to accommodate the clutch adjusting shaft 43. A noise damping lining of rubber or other suitable composition is applied to the inner surfaces of the piece 87.

To accommodate a suitable instrument for adjusting the needle valve |64, an opening ill is made in one Wall of the case 81 in alignment with the valve tt and on the opposite side, an opening 92 is provided in the case for the passage of a hose or pipe for conveying air from the compressor to the nipple of the valve housing 54.

In operation, a Watch to be Wound is placed on the platform 'il' so that the crown of its Winding stem will enter the conifcrm recess 25 in the Winding head 22. Slight inward pressure imposed by the Watch against the Winding head will cause longitudinal inward displacement of the arbor i9, thus actuating the yoke 55 to tilt the arm it through the medium of the push rod @8. The finger 'M of arm iii will bear downward on the valve stem 55, opening valve 5i, releasing air through the nozzle 53, which is directed towards the impeller blades 3i thus rotating the Winding shaft I6, which, in turn, rotates the winding head 22 to wind the spring of the Watch through its stem.

Manifestly, the construction as shown and described is capable of some modification and such modification as may be construed to fall Within the scope and meaning of the appended claims is also considered to be Within the spirit and intent of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a machine for Winding Watches, a frame, a winding shaft journaled in said frame, a winding head on said shaft, an arbor carrying said winding head capable of limited longitudinal displacement axially with respect to said Winding shaft, a fixed clutch member on said winding shaft, a movable clutch member spring biased into frictional engagement with said fixed clutch member, a bladed impeller affixed to said movable clutch member, an air chamber in which is maintained air under constant pressure, a nozzle communicating with said air chamber and directed towards said impeller, a valve normally closing said nozzle against release of air from said chamber, a rocking arm pivoted to said frame having a finger engaging said valve, a push rod for actun ating said rocking arm and means depending from said arbor and actuated upon displacement of said winding head to move said push rod and rocking arm to open said valve to release air through said nozzle against the blades of said impeller to rotate said Winding shaft and head.

2. In a watch Winding machine, a frame, a

winding shaft journaled in said frame, a Winding head mounted axially on one end of said shaft for limited inward displacement under pressure of a Watch stem against said head, a bladed irnpeller freely mounted on said Winding shaft, a nozzle for directing air under pressure against the blades of said impeller, a valve normally closing said nozzle against release of air, a yoke movable horizontally by displacement of said Winding head, a rocking arm having a nger engaging said valve means actuated by said yoke upon in- Ward displacement of said Winding head to tilt said rocking arm to open said valve and release air against said impeller through said nozzle and means frictionally joining said impeller and Winding shaft to rotate said Winding head.

3. In a Watch winding machine, a frame, a 7

rotatable shaft supported in said frame, an arbor rotated by said winding shaft and capable of limited longitudinal movement in relation thereto, a winding head on said arbor, an air actuated impeller freely mounted on said shaft, a clutch element fixed to said shaft, a companion clutch element fixed to said impeller and freely mounted on said shaft, adjustable spring means, normally urging said clutch elements into frictional engagement, a nozzle directed towards said impeller through which air under pressure is directed against said impeller to drive said shaft, valve means normally closing said nozzle against release of air, a valve actuating arm, a push rod for operating said arm and means depending from said arbor and engageable with said push rod to move said valve actuating arm to cause said valve to open to release aii` through said nozzle.

4. The structure of claim 3, and a vertically adjustable support for a Watch disposed in Winding position in relation to said shaft.

5. The structure of claim 3, and a case on said machine having a lining composed of a material having the property to dampen the noise of exhaust of air from said nozzle.

6. A Watch winding machine including a winding shaft mounted in a frame, an arbor rotated by and movable longitudinally with respect to said winding shaft, a longitudinally reciprocable winding head carried by said arbor against which the winding stem of a Watch is urged for rotation, an air actuated impeller on said shaft, an air nozzle directed towards said impeller, means for supp-lying air to said nozzle under pressure to rotate said impeller, a valve normally closing said nozzle, a valve actuating arm pivoted to said frame, a push rod for operating said arm, means depending from said arbor and actuated by pressure on said winding head to move said push rod and open said valve to discharge air against said impeller to rotate said shaft and means for predetermining the degree of torque applied to said shaft by said impeller.

'"1 A Watch winding machine including a winding shaft mounted in a frame, an arbor rotatable by said winding shaft and having a Winding head thereon against which the winding stem of a Watch is urged for rotation, an air actuated im peller on said shaft, an air nozzle directed to Wards said impeiler, means for supplying air to said nozzle under pressure, a valve normally closing said nozzle, a yolre depending from and actuated by said arbor, a "valve actuating arm pivoted to said frame, means disposed between said yoke and valve actuating arm effective to open said valve to discharge air from said nozzle against said impeller to rotate said shaft when lpressure is imposed by a watch on said Winding head and means for predetermining the degree of torque applied to said shaft by said impeller.

JOHN H. GOTTER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 949,781 Scott Feb. 22, 1910 1,751,698 Jelliffe Mar. 25, 1930 2,588,042 Poltrock Mar. 4, 1952 

